How to write how-to articles

Putting together the pieces

Lessons

In writing a course, you take different bits of experience, gained over time, and assemble them in one place. For example, how you learned what each knife does, and how you acquired the knives you have, are separate experiences from the day-to-day of cutting up veggies that you do now. Don’t let that get in the way.

This integrating of different experiences into one smooth narrative can create distractions. There’s a normal urge to add extra details to balance your writing from part to another. Resist.

None of this is necessary or useful, it only makes it take longer to finish. When the course is completely done, you properly check for overall balance.

The way through all distractions is an easy 3-step process: two quick drafts, and a final version.